Monday, July 18, 2005

So I'm not just being narky after all - this is bad

Reuters | ITN | Press Association | AFP | Sky News | The Scotsman | Photos
Monday July 18, 11:38 AM

Maternity wards 'in poor condition'
Politicians admitted standards in maternity wards must be improved as a "deeply worrying" report highlighted chronic staff and equipment shortages.

The Healthcare Commission said the lives of new mothers and babies were at risk from poor conditions which make giving birth more dangerous than necessary.

An investigation chaired by Sir Ian Kennedy found poor organisation on wards, doctors who did not explain what was happening to patients and dirty toilets as well as a shortage of midwives.

Health Minister Liam Byrne said: "We welcome his acknowledgement that giving birth is safer now than ever before and that very few babies or mothers die.

"However, services are not yet good enough to meet the needs of all women and babies, wherever they live and whoever they are, and that is why the Government continues in reforming, as well as investing in, maternity services in the UK."

He said an action plan for change will be drawn up at a meeting of experts in maternity care later this week.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said: "These findings from the Health Care Commission are deeply worrying.

"They show that despite increasing resources for the NHS, a lack of genuine reform means resources are wasted and services are not held accountable for the standards they meet and to the wishes of patients."

He added: "It will not be good enough for the Government to make promises about changes years hence if we have too few midwives and poor standards today."

The Commission's report to MPs said bad management, rather than a lack of money, is at the root of the problems.




Hmmmm. On a more positive note, we just had an amazing weekend. We test ran one of Julian's friends babies and ate barbecue, the likes of which I haven't tasted since we left Australia (of course Aussie cooked it).

We went to the worst fair ever. Exmouth have an Italian Community religious parade each year and it has turned into a nasty commercial piss up with lots of English men with their shirts off - am I the only one who has noticed that when the temperature gets above 25, English males start spontaneously stripping? One guy was covered in so much baby oil that I could smell him. They seem to take real pride in their body hair and love handles. Such an affectionate term for them, I'm not sure that it's quite right in this instance. We didn't realise there was a religious parade until we came to a street that looked like a really solemn Mardi Gras. There were men dressed up as Jesus, little boys dressed up as wise men, a float with a Last Supper re-enactment on it - and the 12 disciples were eating real food up there! That part of the day was actually great. I've never seen anything so Roman Catholic, and so Pagan at the same time. Now I know where the protestants get their attitudes towards Catholicism. It was so weird that at first I thought it was a piece of performance art.

We had lunch with Garreth and Elissa which was nice - they are moving to Sydney in 2 weeks to re-design all the Mambo stores. We gave them our Living-in-Sydney tips. You forget so quickly - it took me and Julian about 4 hours to remember the name of Cleveland Street - 3 blocks away from our house, and a street I travelled on the Vespa almost every day!

Last of all, we had going away drinks for Eloise. She's off to have another adventure - this time NY without a visa, crazy girl. It was fun. Strange for me without alcohol - I watched the evening degenerate from afar. It ended with Jason and Justin taking pictures of their legs to try and make them look like a bottom. This stuff seems normal when you're pissed, no?

Oh, how could I forget - I had my horn exam. I was surrounded by 8 year olds all day - there were about 100 little boys who played the drums, bonding with their dads, reading car magazines and all that stuff dads and sons do. I was last to be examined and I got the impression that my examiner was really starved for adult company. So he was really nice to me and it was quite a relaxed affair. It went well.

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